1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to gun port assemblies as used in defense of vehicles and buildings, and in particular to gun ports used during training exercises when an attacker may use a laser beam to simulate a ballistic weapon such as an assault rifle by attempting to direct a laser beam through a gun port.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gun ports are well known in the art for both military and non-military applications. A gun port permits discharge of a fire arm through an opening defined by the gun port whenever the gun port is in an open position. The gun port secures the port against passage of a bullet or other unwanted projectile whenever the gun port is in a closed position. Typically gun ports include a door as a closure shield secured on either an interior or exterior surface of a support apparatus such as an exterior wall of an armored vehicle or the exterior wall of a building. The door is often actuated by an operator of the gun port standing or sitting next to it while inside the armored vehicle or building. Examples of the prior art in gun ports are provided by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,771,672; 4,771,673; and 6,425,311. In all three of these examples, the door consists of a single plate of metal. The first example discloses a door (or “closure plate”) that is a single plate slid upward to open, and downward to close. The second example discloses a door (or “closure”) that is a single plate that is pivoted inward and downward to open, and upward and outward to close. The third example discloses a door (or “closure shield”) that is a single plate mounted on the outside of an exterior wall and that rotates parallel to the wall in a first rotational direction to open, and in the reverse direction to close.
The prior art does not disclose gun ports designed to prevent passage of a laser beam coming from outside. What is needed is a gun port that can block passage of a laser beam from coming through the gun port at a user of a gun being aimed or fired from the gun port, or being inserted or removed in or out of a shoot port part of a gun port. It is also needed that such a gun port and/or its shoot port be constructed as a subassembly that can be easily installed, replaced, and/or removed.